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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26773039">Gods and Heroes and You and Me and Him</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShortForPhill/pseuds/ShortForPhill'>ShortForPhill</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Gods &amp; Goddesses, Aphrodite!Natasha, Ares!Bucky, But also, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hephaestus!Tony, M/M, Multi, Past Infidelity, it’s complicated!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:07:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,158</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26773039</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShortForPhill/pseuds/ShortForPhill</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hephaestus, living on Earth as Tony Stark, is reunited with Aphrodite in the form of Natasha Romanoff. Their attempts to rekindle their ancient marriage are complicated by aliens, superheroes, and James Barnes -who might be Natasha’s old lover Ares</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes/Natasha Romanov/Tony Stark, Natasha Romanov/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>67</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s very easy to forget that Hephaestus is just as powerful as the rest of the pantheon. Especially when it’s been thousands of years and the gods have long since adapted to mortal lives. Especially when he had always been separate, shunned until he was needed. Standing in front of him now, surrounded by the children he made with his own two hands, Aphrodite remembers.</p><p>“Sir?” the youngest child - an AI named Jarvis - prompts him for a response. He goes by Tony these days. Another of his children, a robotic arm, pokes him gently with a smoothie that definitely has machine parts in it.<br/>
“It’s alright, J,” he replies as he liberates the smoothie from the robot’s grasp. “You remember what I told you about me?”<br/>
“Indeed, Sir.”<br/>
“Good. This is family business, no need to call anyone just yet.” Tony slurps on his smoothie, only to spit out a lug-nut.</p><p>Tony Stark has the equivalent of a cosmic bomb embedded in his chest. It’s a testament to his lingering power, that he can still build his way out of anything.</p><p>“I should’ve known it was you,” he says mildly, eyes seeming to look right through her.<br/>
“Destiny is always keen to bring us together,” Aphrodite replies carefully. Her mortal name is Natasha, at least in this life.<br/>
“Where’s your side piece? Didn’t make this cycle?” Tony asks. It’s clear that he still cares very much what the answer is. He never quite got over the initial betrayal of her affair with Ares.<br/>
“That’s complicated,” Natasha admits. “I think we crossed paths once already, but it was brief.”<br/>
“Unusual. Then again, you and I are about to have a very brief intersection.”<br/>
“You’re dying?”<br/>
“Yes.”<br/>
“How can I help?” Tony blinks at her in surprise. That shouldn’t hurt, but it does. She supposes that’s the part of her that’s more Aphrodite than Natasha. The part of him that’s more Tony than Hephaestus decides to trust her.</p><p>Fury doesn’t know what she is. What they are.<br/>
“This may tip our hand,” Natasha warns, even as she prepares to liberate every piece of leverage SHIELD has over Tony.<br/>
“Then decide who you trust,” Tony decides. “I’ll tell my people, you tell yours. I’m tired of doing this alone.” He must be very close to dying if he’s willing to admit that.</p><p>Tony tells Pepper Potts, Jim Rhodes, and Happy Hogan. Natasha tells Clint Barton, Phil Coulson, and Nick Fury. They both confide in Agent 13, who happens to be Tony’s cousin Sharon Carter.</p><p>“Does this make me a demigod?” Sharon asks.<br/>
“No. We’re not even related,” Tony reminds her.<br/>
“That’s stupid. I want cool powers.”<br/>
“Shut up.” Sharon does not shut up.<br/>
“Is the Hephaestus thing the reason you’re so short?” It is. Tony sulks for a week after that.</p><p>Tony designs the means to save his own life based on nothing more than a cryptic hint from footage of Howard and a 3D model of the old Stark Expo. He’s a marvel to watch when he’s working. His face lights up with the joy of creation as his workshop thrums with power. Natasha thinks maybe that was her mistake as Aphrodite, never watching him at work.</p><p>Tony turns to her, high on his own success, burning bright both literally and figuratively. Natasha does what she should’ve done in their first life, and lets him sweep her into his arms. She drags him off to bed and makes love to him like thousands of years of separation never happened. The specter of Ares still hangs over them, but for now she has her husband, healthy and whole. As Natasha watches Tony sleep, she vows that things will be different this cycle. Tony holds enough love in his heart to forgive her after everything. She owes him the same.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For the first time in a long time, Aphrodite wakes to find her husband in bed beside her. He’s curled up like a child, pressed against her for warmth. Who knew Tony Stark was a little spoon? He mumbles something unintelligible, face smashed against the pillow.</p>
<p>“What was that?” Natasha asks, poking Tony until one eye cracks open to glare at her.<br/>
“Let me bask,” he grumbles. One hand emerges from the tangle of blankets between them to lazily grope at her. She grabs his wrist and tugs until he emerges from his blanket cocoon.<br/>
“Blanket hog,” she teases.<br/>
“Hmmm,” is all she gets in reply as he greedily drinks in the sight of her. It would be sexier if he wasn’t still half asleep.</p>
<p>Hephaestus has always been an attentive lover, if a bit clingy. It seems that hasn’t changed in this lifetime. He looks at her like he can’t believe he got this lucky.<br/>
“Careful,” she warns fondly as she runs her hands through his tangled hair, “We wouldn’t want anyone to know Iron Man has such a soft, gooey heart.”<br/>
“Let me worship my wife like she deserves,” he replies, practically purring at her touch.<br/>
“Maybe later,” she says. “You have work to do.” He sighs.</p>
<p>“This all seems less urgent, now that I’m not dying,” Tony admits as he readies himself for the day.<br/>
“I think we could all do with less impulsivity on your part,” Natasha replies. She sorts through his collection of ties until she finds one she likes. “Wear this one,” she says.<br/>
“Yes, dear,” he snarks, though he does as she says without hesitation.</p>
<p>“It’s a shame we had to skip Monaco,” Tony says as JARVIS displays his schedule for the day. “I’d have liked to bring you.”<br/>
“There will be other chances,” Natasha shrugs. “Any thoughts on what you want to do for your birthday?” Tony makes a face at that.<br/>
“Do I have to?”<br/>
“You don’t have to do anything. You should probably do something. It’s expected.”<br/>
“What would you do if it was, hypothetically speaking, your last birthday, only it suddenly wasn’t?” Natasha just raises an eyebrow at that. He fidgets under her stare.<br/>
“I’ll cancel the party and plan a smaller one,” she declares. The way he relaxes, even as he tries to hide his reaction, tells her she made the right call.<br/>
“Sure,” he nods, with a casualness that’s obviously faked, “I’ll-“<br/>
“I get to pick the theme,” she cuts him off.<br/>
“Theme?” He stumbles after her, still trying to tie his shoes. “Tasha, what theme?” She just cackles and makes her escape as he’s forced to stop and actually put his shoes on right.</p>
<p>She grabs a very confused Colonel Rhodes on her way out the door.<br/>
“You, me, Party City,” she informs him.<br/>
“But-“<br/>
“No buts, Colonel. My husband needs a birthday party befitting the giant five year old he is.” To his credit, it takes mere seconds for Rhodes to be immediately on board.<br/>
“Call Sharon,” he says. “She’ll never forgive us if we leave her out of the planning.”<br/>
“Excellent idea, Colonel.”<br/>
“Call me Jim.”</p>
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